Black Sand & Witches Brew

Today was the road to Hana.  We checked the weather radar, and nothing but a wee bit of cloud was showing on a road that the guidebook describes as having "a lot"of rain. So off we went, top down, sun pouring in, through Paia, past the beach where the windsurfers hang out, and onto the road to Hana.

If you haven't been on the road to Hana, it's a narrow road that twists like a Cirque du Soleil contortionist through the rainforest, sprinkled amply with one-lane bridges and hairpin turns -- also waterfalls, lots of trees with red flowers, and stunning views from where the road snakes along a cliff top, with nothing between you and a sheer several-hundred-feet drop than a piece of metal guardrail.

We stopped at this waterfall -- and were glad we did, when a massive truck hauling a trailer tried to navigate the hairpin turn and just barely made it. I couldn't imagine trying to pass that thing head on, on a road that would barely pass for one lane at home.  Barely.

This one was taken from the side of the road, one foot on the guardrail.  Stunning view, but that tree was growing off the side of a cliff.

Then, of course, there was the convertible.  Top down, this is the road for it because you never go over 20 miles an hour. We got stuck in a convoy of jeeps -- four in a row, being driven by who I swear were close relations to the Duck Dynasty stars -- beards, paunches, tattoos, headscarves. (Look for us looking scared between the third and fourth Jeeps, where we somehow ended up, in a future episode....Duck Dynasty Does Maui).

We turned off to see the Keanau peninsula, a witches cauldron of sharp lava rocks and pounding surf -- spectacular despite the sign that said "beware of death or severe injury". Apparently the surf can get pretty aggressive here.

Then we made it to the black sand beach.  This beach isn't recommended for swimming because of the strong currents, but lots of people were swimming and body surfing here. 

There is a path that runs up the side of the black sand beach and up onto the cliffs.  This has great views of the cliffs, a blowhole, and some rock arches with the waves pounding them. And then...you get to an amazing black sand beach.  No one is crazy enough to swim here, another cauldron of sharp rocks and crashing water. The waves come pounding through at an angle and there must be riptides and deadly cross currents.  Tons of black boulders sit on the sand.  But man, does it make a gorgeous photo:

It takes just under two hours to drive from Hana to Paia, a distance of about 45 miles. We didn't quite make it back to the hotel before sunset, but stopped at the side of the road to catch the last few rays on a somewhat more serene beach: